This is Polly Bowie! I found the slips of paper! Another happy customer..... but who is she? If only I could remember her name or locate the piece of paper I wrote her information on! I don't want her to think she didn't matter so it bothers me I can't pull her name out of the thick soup in my head. All I can remember is that she was absolutely lovely and so enthusiastic about rug hooking. She had never hooked before, came in for a demo, practiced a bit and ordered two kits, both Sue Cunningham's women of abundance patterns complete with wool. We colour planned them together and I said I would have them all cut and ready to go in a couple of days. She was delighted with the colours and excited to get started. I can't promise remembering names after time has lapsed but gee, only a few days? I don't know if it's my age, lack of sleep, too much work or a combo plate!
I've had a few senior moments lately that I've found frustrating and embarrassing. I forgot to make a kit for a beginner who took my course last week and let me tell you, they need to come up with a name for the new shade of red that burned my cheeks. I sorta, kinda recall the conversation and it's obvious, before I could record it in the book I got distracted so it vanished into the black hole of my brain. She was absolutely lovely about it but I kicked mental butt for the rest of the day. I drew out a cute little design and gave her some wool to practice the straight lines, wavy lines and circles and promised to make up the kit as soon as possible. I don't do things like that, not often anyhow. Is this old age? It's no secret I've been under a bit of stress lately with expanding the shop but that is over now so the brain can get back to normal or whatever it was before the move. Between the insomnia and working late nights have I become ditsy? Grey cell loss is permanent.....yikes!
Then I forgot to send out a pattern I promised would arrive in time for a workshop. The customer was really nice about it but I guess I'd have felt more comfortable if she hollered at me...shame on me. I felt so badly about the whole mess and there she was on the phone trying to make me feel better. It was too late to make the class even by courier so I sent it out and plan to reimburse her and hope she hasn't lost faith in me! She said she would find something else to take to class. When you're being hard on yourself it's difficult to have people being nice. I'm more comfortable feeling guilty and roughing myself up a bit, being the bad little shop keeper that I am.
Interruptions while working are commonplace but when this ole brain is taxed and tired, things go downhill faster than Jack and Jill. And sure you can make notes, but then have to remember where you put it. Interruptions seem to happen every five minutes but that's probably an exaggeration so lets be fair and say every ten minutes. Shane gives me a hard time because I don't put things away but I never get to finish a project in one sitting because I'm torn in so many directions. It's the curse of being the boss. Like today (Sunday), I sent him out to buy another paper cutter and I'm in the middle of something that needs deep thought when he phones me from Staples to give the details of all the models available and all I want him to do is make a decision and buy one. He tells me about the first one so I say "buy it", but then proceeds to tell me about the second one so I say "buy it", then goes back to the first one and I say "buy it" again, while trying to remain friendly and not scream "BUY ONE!" I don't want to be part of this conversation, it's wasting my time and I want him to decide...it's only a paper cutter, not research to find the best brain surgeon. I know he respects my opinion and he wants to please me, but I'm more than happy for him to handle the incidental stuff. He's smart...read and come to a decision, if it works well, great, if not it's an experience to learn from.
I also have to stop running. I'm asked a question and my reaction is to leave whatever I'm doing to check it out and quite frankly, I'm run ragged. Asking a question out of the blue without full context also leaves me confused and most of the time I don't even hear the first few words because I'm so absorbed in what I'm doing. This has to stop as it happens upwards of twenty times a day and I need to hang on to my sanity. I can't focus! Men don't look either. You send them for something and they can't find it so they holler immediately before giving it a serious go and of course I run and find it. Hubby's like that too so I have two men I'm running after. I supposed I've trained them well, or maybe they've trained me, but I really have to back off on the running and rescuing.
I'm usually quiet when I work. I keep my head down and focus on the chore. I don't like to talk much as it distracts me. Pleasantries and what I did over the weekend are the furthest things from my mind so after the initial "hi" or "good morning" I'm perfectly happy not to speak. I just want to be in my head, it's cosy in there with all kinds of exciting things floating around. I get in a zone and work flows. That's why I like working nights, no one to distract me so the tasks go smoothly and quickly and I can actually finish what I started.
Of course, customer distractions are welcome, none of what I'm complaining about has anything to do with the people who come into the shop. It's all internal stuff, being the boss kind of thing, so don't think I am complaining about you, the customer! I heard on CBC radio that every time you are interrupted in the middle of a task it can take up to 2o minutes to get back into the job. No wonder I struggle. Funny thing though, when mom asks for help I hear, "I'm busy right now", maybe that's a line I should adopt......did I say I love my son?
I found the missing piece of paper! Her name is Polly Bowie from Vancouver!!
I've had a few senior moments lately that I've found frustrating and embarrassing. I forgot to make a kit for a beginner who took my course last week and let me tell you, they need to come up with a name for the new shade of red that burned my cheeks. I sorta, kinda recall the conversation and it's obvious, before I could record it in the book I got distracted so it vanished into the black hole of my brain. She was absolutely lovely about it but I kicked mental butt for the rest of the day. I drew out a cute little design and gave her some wool to practice the straight lines, wavy lines and circles and promised to make up the kit as soon as possible. I don't do things like that, not often anyhow. Is this old age? It's no secret I've been under a bit of stress lately with expanding the shop but that is over now so the brain can get back to normal or whatever it was before the move. Between the insomnia and working late nights have I become ditsy? Grey cell loss is permanent.....yikes!
Then I forgot to send out a pattern I promised would arrive in time for a workshop. The customer was really nice about it but I guess I'd have felt more comfortable if she hollered at me...shame on me. I felt so badly about the whole mess and there she was on the phone trying to make me feel better. It was too late to make the class even by courier so I sent it out and plan to reimburse her and hope she hasn't lost faith in me! She said she would find something else to take to class. When you're being hard on yourself it's difficult to have people being nice. I'm more comfortable feeling guilty and roughing myself up a bit, being the bad little shop keeper that I am.
Interruptions while working are commonplace but when this ole brain is taxed and tired, things go downhill faster than Jack and Jill. And sure you can make notes, but then have to remember where you put it. Interruptions seem to happen every five minutes but that's probably an exaggeration so lets be fair and say every ten minutes. Shane gives me a hard time because I don't put things away but I never get to finish a project in one sitting because I'm torn in so many directions. It's the curse of being the boss. Like today (Sunday), I sent him out to buy another paper cutter and I'm in the middle of something that needs deep thought when he phones me from Staples to give the details of all the models available and all I want him to do is make a decision and buy one. He tells me about the first one so I say "buy it", but then proceeds to tell me about the second one so I say "buy it", then goes back to the first one and I say "buy it" again, while trying to remain friendly and not scream "BUY ONE!" I don't want to be part of this conversation, it's wasting my time and I want him to decide...it's only a paper cutter, not research to find the best brain surgeon. I know he respects my opinion and he wants to please me, but I'm more than happy for him to handle the incidental stuff. He's smart...read and come to a decision, if it works well, great, if not it's an experience to learn from.
I also have to stop running. I'm asked a question and my reaction is to leave whatever I'm doing to check it out and quite frankly, I'm run ragged. Asking a question out of the blue without full context also leaves me confused and most of the time I don't even hear the first few words because I'm so absorbed in what I'm doing. This has to stop as it happens upwards of twenty times a day and I need to hang on to my sanity. I can't focus! Men don't look either. You send them for something and they can't find it so they holler immediately before giving it a serious go and of course I run and find it. Hubby's like that too so I have two men I'm running after. I supposed I've trained them well, or maybe they've trained me, but I really have to back off on the running and rescuing.
I'm usually quiet when I work. I keep my head down and focus on the chore. I don't like to talk much as it distracts me. Pleasantries and what I did over the weekend are the furthest things from my mind so after the initial "hi" or "good morning" I'm perfectly happy not to speak. I just want to be in my head, it's cosy in there with all kinds of exciting things floating around. I get in a zone and work flows. That's why I like working nights, no one to distract me so the tasks go smoothly and quickly and I can actually finish what I started.
Of course, customer distractions are welcome, none of what I'm complaining about has anything to do with the people who come into the shop. It's all internal stuff, being the boss kind of thing, so don't think I am complaining about you, the customer! I heard on CBC radio that every time you are interrupted in the middle of a task it can take up to 2o minutes to get back into the job. No wonder I struggle. Funny thing though, when mom asks for help I hear, "I'm busy right now", maybe that's a line I should adopt......did I say I love my son?
I found the missing piece of paper! Her name is Polly Bowie from Vancouver!!
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